


But I Love You More Than Words Can Say

by NEStar



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: F/M, Five Times, Miscarriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-12 22:43:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19238593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NEStar/pseuds/NEStar
Summary: Five ways Jeff and Annie could have found each other.Originally written: Nov 3, 2012





	1. Give me the Hope to Run Out of Steam aka the Community Way

For Jeff Winger the reason was a fake diploma. For Annie Edison the reason was a problem with pills. But those were only superficial – a quick sound bite for why they had both ended up at Greendale Community College. Underneath the sarcasm and scorn, under the bright smiles and cheery posters, there was a deep seated fear of failure that had pushed them ; pushed them to get ahead, pushed the to be better, to get there sooner, pushed them to the lowest points of their lives. But together they faced that fear and discovered that as long as they were together they would never fail, that some times just being what you are is enough.


	2. I Cannot Stand to Wait Anymore aka The High Road Way

It was just a normal Monday, at lest it was until Jeff walked out of his office calling for a paralegal to handle research on his new case and she came running up.

Brown hair that bounced around her shoulders, big doe eyes, and a smile that nearly blinded him. “What can I do for you, Mr. Winger?”

Jeff's mind went blank at the same time as his mouth went dry and his heart burst into double time.

“Mr. Winger?”

Papers, in his hand. Work, lawyer, his ass being fired.

“There's a call sheet and a questionnaire. When you're done with that, I need a position paper on the results.” Jeff spun around and walked back into his office.

For three weeks Jeff's world was turned upside down by his new (intelligent, beautiful, young) paralegal. She was always at the office before him, always popping up the second he needed something, always wearing skirts that made him think bad, bad, thoughts and shirts that left him breathless.

He spent a lot of time hiding in his office.

She had just left his office after dropping off a stack of memos and he was trying to get his breathing under control when there was a quick knock on his door, which was then opened by his boss.

“Mr. Franklin.” Jeff slammed his knee on the underside of the desk as he stood up. “What can I do for you, sir?”

Franklin looked him up and down once, “You know that you're one of our best tort lawyers.”

“I, uh, thank you, sir.”

“And as much as I hate gossip, it has gotten back to me that you have a history of treating the women you see with great respect, but that you are currently single.” The older man said as he waved a hand to indicate the Jeff should sit.

“Um, yes, sir.” Jeff slowly lowered himself to the chair.

“Three weeks ago, Annie started working here. Since that time all the single men of this firm, and a few who aren't single, have made a pass at her. Everyone, that is, except for you.”

“I'm...sorry?” Jeff was confused, was that a bad thing?

Franklin continued, “Let me tell you a story. Carter and I started this firm right out of law school, and I threw my whole life into making it a success. Which may have been why I was still single at the age of forty. But then something happened, I got a new secretary. The women was smart as a whip, drop dead gorgeous and twenty years younger then me. I could hardly speak to her over the intercom, let alone face to face, so I spent most of my days hiding in my office and leaving written notes for her in the morning and at lunch.” Franklin paused for a moment and studied Jeff. “Finally, after six months of pussy-footing around, I asked the girl to dinner. We were married three months later and not a day goes by where I don't thank god for her.”

Jeff was stunned, “Sir?”

“What very few people at this firm know is that Annie is my niece. For the last week I've had to hear her whine about that fact that you hate her.” Franklin stood up, “Stop hiding in your office and ask the girl to dinner.”


	3. We Could Be Roped Up, Tied Up, Dead in a Year aka The Courtroom Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for Miscarriage

It had just been one mistake (okay, one in a line), losing it to Troy. But it should have ended with a few awkward moments in the school halls, not three years of coldness and fights.

Condoms aren't 100% safe, Annie knew that. You can get pregnant the first time, Annie knew that too. But she had taken a half of a Valium before the end of summer party, so when Troy – the most popular boy in school! - smiled at her she had no problem smiling back. Then he kissed her, so she kissed back, and when he said they should find a room, well, she had no problem with that either.

Then she missed her period. Twice. She had a problem with that.

So did her parents; who told Troy that he would marry Annie or they would press charges for rape.

Yeah, that was a great way to start a marriage. But Troy had a full ride to Penn and Annie was going to Princeton; so they found a tiny apartment in Bristol and tried to make the best of it.

Five months into the pregnancy Annie woke up one morning with blood on her legs.

Troy had been wonderful at the time, but then summer came and they went back to Colorado.

It was awkward and humiliating and some skank from high school even accused Annie of lying about the baby just to trap Troy.

The next fall she and Troy lived on their respective campuses.

The second summer Annie got a job working at Shirley's, a restaurant in a strip mall in Greendale. No one from Riverside ever came to Greendale.

The storefront next to Shirley's was a law office – well, it was a lawyer. Jeff Winger may not have been the highest paid lawyer in the greater Denver area, but he was a great tipper.

The third year it was Thanksgiving break when she saw Troy at the mall and realized it had been over eight months since the last time she saw him. The Monday after Thanksgiving she walked into Jeff Winger's office. It was one of the harder things she had ever done in her life, to admit how screwed up she had been at the end of high school, but Jeff didn't make her feel small – he had said, “Hey, I could give you a list of my mistakes that would make your life seem tame, but I'm on the clock and I don't think you want to get billed for that.”

He had the papers drawn up and signed by Troy, so by the time she rang in the New Year it was as a single woman.

The third summer Annie returned to her job at Shirley's. She worked hard, saved her tips, and if her heart skipped a beat every time Jeff walked through the door... well, it was just some odd form of hero worship. He had saved her from a bad situation, that's all.

The fourth year Annie threw herself into school (not the same way as her last year of high school) and came out with a Bachelor’s of Science. She – very luckily – found a job working as a pharmaceutical rep and started the long journey of “Adult Life”.

It was three years later, sitting in the lounge of a hotel that was hosting a law conference, that she saw Jeff Winger again – and her heart still skipped a beat.

“Hey stranger,” he said and smoothly slid into the booth across from her, “You ready to hear my list of mistakes yet?” Annie smiled and gave a quick nod. “Number one, I once fell for a client. Amazing woman, twenty-one, putting herself through college – at Princeton! She actually graduated cum laude and landed a pretty sweet job right after graduation.”

“Oh, but let me guess,” Annie interrupted, “She was in love with one of the regulars at the restaurant she worked at; the man from the office next door who came in every day for lunch.”


End file.
